ActiveCaptain

This is very cool!!

What can I say?

I sort of agree!!

Is there a way to use this on my I phone 4s that would show your position ...like a chartplotter?

There are multiple ways to use ActiveCaptain on iPhone and iPad (we have 3 iPhones and 2 pads onboard).  Navimatics Charts & Tides is a chartplotter app with full ActiveCaptain support integrated.  eSeaCharts too.  Both work well - I tend to use Charts & Tides when we're moving because it allows you to update the data and enter reviews right on the device.

Both apps use ActiveCaptain offline.  When you have an internet connection, essentially the entire website is compressed and downloaded into the phone.  Every detail, every review.  Now when you use it, there's no internet connection needed - it's all offline.  When you get an internet connection again, there's a synchronize/update capability in the app.  That will download only the data that has changed since the last synchronization.  It usually takes about a minute for every week out-of-date.  When we're moving on the ICW, I try to synchronize every night before we leave to get the latest comments on the hazards.

Those are 2 of the applications that our data is integrated in.  There are currently 14 shipping products for PC's, Mac's, iOS, and Android - all implement offline support with synchronization.  There are another 20 being developed right now including a set of incredible apps coming out at the Miami Boat Show (Feb 2012) for iPhone/iPad - I wish I could talk about them!  I think these new apps are going to change everything and especially for international use.

For the iPhone/iPad especially, the apps are so inexpensive that it's not bad to have a couple of them.  It's especially nice to get different types of nautical charts from different data sources.

There are also marine electronics manufacturers who are integrating our data into their chartplotters for offline use.  Much more of that will be coming out in upcoming seasons.

No - look at my detailed comment just below.  The apps available for the iPad are better than the website because you don't need an internet connection for them.

Great - yes, it's perfect for that.  The software is written by Navimatics.  They license our data.  There are many options coming to help with waterway types of travel.  I'm working on something right now that literally speaks to you when a hazard or bridge is coming up.  Tap on the warning and it'll give you the height or hazard comments from others.

I have an Android tab.  Using Flash on a tablet with a touch interface is not a good experience.  The website was developed for use with a mouse.  It just isn't a happy thing to have to use a finger with it.

For Android, NutiCharts is available with the same offline capabilities too.

Sure - I don't know what size would work best.  Also, I wouldn't mind if the space between Active and Captain was removed.  Not sure if that's possible.

Just downloaded the app for Iphone 4s : Charts and Tides East Coast from Navimatics. Looks good.

Check out DragQueen in the Apple app store.  It was just approved - it's free.  And Android version is coming too.

Thanks very much ...got the DragQeen.

Thanks Ron ...updating now. Lots of new toys!

Marina and I spent the evening working on charting our trip North from Florida.  We plot the a course up the ICW (Intercoastal Waterway) for each day determining things like, two or more possible anchorages for a night’s stay (because we are not sure how much progress we will make each day partly from a lack of experience with the vessel as well as other unknowns like currents, weather, bridge opening delays, etc. because we don’t want to get caught trying to find a place drop the hook in the dark) fuel stops, river and sound crossings where the ICW disappears and the buoys change color along with marking danger areas such as shoaling or other hazards noted from consulting with Active Captain (https://activecaptain.com/index.php).   Marina has been putting together menus and supply lists for an estimated two week cruise.  Boat gear, books, and clothes for both warm and cold weather are getting packed and we are trying to get some sleep in spite of being so excited.  Merry Christmas to all ya’ all (as we say here in the South) and a Happy New Year.

Thanks Ron, it is not so bad, we are bringing our boat home so that we can move aboard.  We will be staying in the New Bern area for two years while Marina completes her degree in school.  I'm about 15 months from retirement.  I'm not looking foreward to sailing into winter, but it is all an adventure and that is what we signed up for.  Right?

There are currently 14 shipping products (15 actually - I haven't updated the page yet to including the new Nobeltec Odyssey program) including multiple Windows charting applications that fully support ActiveCaptain offline.  There's even a native Mac application for it.  Check out:

https://activecaptain.com/navProducts.php

PolarView especially is an interesting product.  It has a 30 day trial so you can see what it's really like.  If you need a very basic chart display and planning tool, that's a good one.  There's also Nobeltec, MaxSea, and Coastal Explorer.  Nuno Navigator has a special Windows app bundled with UK charts and ActiveCaptain.  All of these have excellent support for the ActiveCaptain data, GPS, even without an internet connection.  Many more products are coming out.  There are even some other websites in the process of licensing our data for display on their website.

The Android version of "DragQueen Anchor Alarm" was accepted by the Android Market now and is freely available.

We are motoring up the ICW aboard our Northern 37 ketch.  Using Polar View with all of Active Captain info inbedded is great for our charting each evening.  It helps us figure how far we can go before achoring each night, where the best fuel price can be had, and the inside scoop on places to drop the hook.  13 days behind us and a week to go.  The boats headed south must think we are nuts heading north into winter.  It is what it is....

I was wondering if I could use AC on my Kindle Fire?

I think that NutiCharts should work on a Kindle - find it at the Android Market.  I'm working on a "Companion" product that will support the Fire.  It should work well with a Bluetooth GPS - that's my test environment.  I'll be getting a Fire in the next few months.

A lot has changed in the nearly 4 years since this thread was last updated!

For Raymarine, give it a month or two - there are some exciting announcements coming in January 2016.

ActiveCaptain has exceptional coverage and information for the Caribbean.  Garmin and Furuno use ActiveCaptain data worldwide on their products - they'd only do that if there was good international coverage.  US, Caribbean, Mexico, Panama, UK, France, Italy, Australia, etc.  There are even a few anchorages in the Antarctic.